A simultaneous routing and localization algorithm for wireless sensor networks in emergency scenario

A Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) is an emerging technology for a wide range of potential applications, including the environmental monitoring, medical, and target tracking systems. A WSN comprises a set of sensor nodes deployed in an area of interest. Sensor nodes are normally located in a dense and ad hoc manner, communicating each other in a multi-hop fashion in order to collect, process, and relay data. Most of WSNs are built on wireless, battery-powered sensor nodes. In such networks, it is hard to recharge or replace the energy-depleted nodes due to the desolate or harsh environment of the target area. Therefore, the efficient use of limited energy is a primary concern in designing protocols and usage strategies for WSNs. In this work an emergency scenario is considered and a WSN is used to monitoring the emergency area. To limit the power consumption, the WSN is activated only when the emergency occurs. Moreover an integrated protocol for routing and localization is developed to reduce communication, which is the most power-consuming operation in WSNs.